Epworth HealthCare has considerable expertise in the diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases, working with some of Melbourne’s leading practitioners in the field.
Rheumatologists mainly deal with problems involving the joints and the allied conditions of connective tissue, using tools such as laboratory tests and x-rays to diagnose patients’ problems.
An enormous range of conditions are diagnosed or managed with the help of our rheumatologists - some very common, some very rare - including, but not limited to: rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, scleroderma (systemic sclerosis), dermatomyositis, polychondritis, polymyositis, polymyalgia rheumatica, osteoarthritis, septic arthritis, gout and pseudogout, spondyloarthropathies, vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, serum sickness, Wegener's granulomatosis, arteritis, Behçet's syndrome, Kawasaki's disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome), and
Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans).
Many of these conditions are chronic rather than acute, and as well as healing our focus is on returning true quality of life to sufferers, many of whom have to deal with a considerable burden of pain. In this, we are assisted by the expertise of our Pain Management colleagues.
Rheumatology services are offered at Epworth Richmond, Epworth Eastern and Epworth Freemasons. Please click on a campus for more information.